Of Kerden the Walker
Written by Parto Tannit Kerdan the Walker, from what we know, lived nearly five centuries ago. To put that into perspective, he lived two hundred years before the founding of Frostkeep. His father was a farmer by trade and in those times, the wilds were a dangerous place where goblins and other beastfolk wandered. As Kerdan was coming of age, the beasts raided the farm and dragged his family away in cages for their cruel enjoyment. Kerdan, enraged, swore vengeance and took up the blade and bow, becoming a ranger. Within a week, he had tracked down the tribe of goblins and though he was still young, he cut down the entire tribe, rescuing his family and other captives held as slaves. Despite being reunited with his parents and siblings, Kerdan left them and became a ranger, vowing to protect the people of the Shores from beasts and bandits alike. There are many tales of his exploits, many are no doubt not true. Indeed, even the story of his childhood could be a tale told by a copper-piece bard. But the following three I can, from sources and account, reasonably assert as true: * he routed another tribe of goblins who threatened the village of Ashrindale and was named an honourary citizen of the settlement. * he fought side-by-side with the elves of Tearwood Forest against a bugbear attack, however after the battle, he left half-a-dozen elves to die. Kerdan instead elected to go after the fleeing bugbears. Though he killed a great deal of the beasts and perhaps saved many elven lives, they scorned him for leaving men to die and earned their enmity. * the third and final tale is perhaps the most famous, for it is where he swore his great oath that few themselves take. He went after a group of ogres who had, in their raid, taken off a group of children. Though he defeated the ogres, he was too late - the children had been killed and some even eaten. Driven by plight and anger, he took his oath. The oath that Kerdan took is a grim one to take and is sworn to Helm, Tyr, the Windwalker, Mielikki and the Oak Father. Those who take it vow to never have a family (and to leave any current family behind) and must discard all property aside from what they can carry. Oath-takers must defend the weak and innocent with all their heart and willingly be able to give their own life for another's. Those that threaten the lives of the good and true are to be killed without regret or mercy, and that the oath-taker must exercise caution in not becoming what they're sworn to fight against. They must protect nature and the natural world with all of their heart as well. No-one quite knows why he added this part of the oath. The final, and perhaps greatest, vow is that the oathtaker must acknowledge that they are bound to this oath for the duration of their life. And that death in battle is the only death considered honourable. Kerdan earned his title "The Walker" due to his extensive travels from the halfling lands of the south to the cold Frozen Wilderness and everything in-between. If this is true, he well deserves it! Category:Lore Category:Books